Eve: The Robotic Fish Revolutionizing Ocean Exploration

In the heart of Switzerland, over 400 kilometers (250 miles) from the nearest sea, engineering students at ETH Zurich are developing groundbreaking robots that could transform the study of the world’s oceans.

Meet "Eve," a robotic fish that gracefully glides through the chilly waters of Lake Zurich, powered by hidden pumps that propel its silicone tail side to side. Eve is the latest creation from SURF-eDNA, a student-led group that has spent the last two years perfecting a school of soft robotic fish.

“By designing Eve to resemble a fish, we minimize our impact on the ecosystem we’re studying,” explained Dennis Baumann, a master’s student at ETH Zurich, in an interview with CNN. The biomimetic design helps Eve blend seamlessly into its environment, ensuring that other marine life remains undisturbed. “We can mix and mingle within the ecosystem,” Baumann added.

But Eve’s fish-like appearance is just the beginning of its capabilities. This autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is also equipped with a camera for underwater filming and sonar, which, combined with an algorithm, allows it to navigate around obstacles with ease.

A standout feature of Eve is its ability to collect environmental DNA, or "eDNA," as it swims. This DNA is shed by all living organisms in the water, and Eve's built-in filter captures it for later sequencing in a laboratory. This data helps scientists identify the various species inhabiting the body of water.

“All animals in the environment shed DNA, which we can find floating around,” said Martina Lüthi, a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich, in her conversation with CNN.

The students believe that Eve has the potential to provide scientists with a more detailed understanding of the oceans and their inhabitants. Despite covering more than 70% of our planet, much of what lies beneath the surface remains a mystery.

Advanced tools like AUVs and remotely operated vehicles are increasingly essential for exploring underwater habitats. For instance, the California-based startup Aquaai has developed clownfish-shaped drones that gather data on oxygen levels, salinity, and pH in waterways. Additionally, a rover recently filmed the deepest fish ever recorded at a depth of 8,300 meters (27,350 feet).

While the use of eDNA to monitor biodiversity is on the rise, traditional sampling methods remain rudimentary—some scientists still collect samples by scooping water into a cup from the side of a boat.

More sophisticated tools, like Eve, could play a crucial role in safeguarding Earth’s oceans, especially as they face unprecedented threats from climate change, overfishing, and other human activities.

“We aim to create a reliable tool for biologists,” Baumann said, expressing hope that their technology will one day be scaled and made accessible to any scientist who needs it. “Perhaps we can help prevent species from becoming endangered or extinct.”